Draft:
Pack 1:
Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Durkwood Baloth, Coral Trickster, Ivory Giant, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Primal Forcemage, Volcanic Awakening, Celestial Crusader, Swarmyard, Merfolk Assassin
Pick: Coal Stoker
Pack 2:
Bonesplitter Sliver, Dark Withering, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ashcoat Bear, Amrou Seekers, Search for Tomorrow, Jhoira’s Timebug, Jedit’s Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Undying Rage, Truth or Tale, Deep-Sea Kraken, Lightning Angel
Pick: Deep-Sea Kraken
Pack 3:
Assassinate, Amrou Seekers, Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Terramorphic Expanse, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Subterranean Shambler, Nightshade Assassin, Krosan Grip, Essence Sliver
Pick: Nightshade Assassin
Pack 4:
Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Thallid Germinator, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Fury Sliver, Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Browbeat
Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage
Pack 5:
Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Chromatic Star, Prismatic Lens, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Tectonic Fiend, Fallen Ideal, Suq’Ata Lancer
Pick: Suq’Ata Lancer
Pack 6:
Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Lightning Axe, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Volcanic Awakening, Spined Sliver
Pick: Lightning Axe
Pack 7:
Spinneret Sliver, Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Barbed Shocker, Wall of Roots
Pick: Mana Skimmer
Pack 8:
Herd Gnarr, Scarwood Treefolk, Shadow Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, Glass Asp, Barbed Shocker, Island
Pick: Herd Gnarr
Pack 9:
Gaze of Justice, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Primal Forcemage, Volcanic Awakening, Swarmyard, Merfolk Assassin
Pick: Blazing Blade Askari
Pack 10:
Ashcoat Bear, Jhoira’s Timebug, Jedit’s Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Truth or Tale
Pick: Ashcoat Bear
Pack 11:
Mogg War Marshal, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Krosan Grip
Pick: Mogg War Marshal
Pack 12:
Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Scion of the Ur-Dragon
Pick: Subterranean Shambler
Pack 13:
Clockspinning, Viscid Lemures, Fallen Ideal
Pick: Viscid Lemures
Pack 14:
Chameleon Blur, Ghitu Firebreathing
Pick: Ghitu Firebreathing
Pack 15:
Pick: Ground Rift
Pack 16:
Strangling Soot, Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Brine Elemental, Primal Forcemage, Wipe Away, Ancestral Vision, Arena
Pick: Strangling Soot
Pack 17:
Coral Trickster, Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Looter il-Kor, Wormwood Dryad, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, Gustcloak Cavalier, Fungal Reaches, Weatherseed Totem, Pardic Dragon, Feldon’s Cane
Pick: Pardic Dragon
Pack 18:
Cancel, Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Thallid Germinator, Zealot il-Vec, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Calciform Pools, Telekinetic Sliver, Pendelhaven Elder, Ghost Ship
Pick: Assassinate
Pack 19:
Mogg War Marshal, Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Brine Elemental, Weathered Bodyguards, Orgg
Pick: Orgg
Pack 20:
Corpulent Corpse, Cancel, Icatian Crier, Bonesplitter Sliver, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Basal Sliver, Calciform Pools, Evil Eye of Urborg, Squire
Pick: Corpulent Corpse
Pack 21:
Pentarch Ward, Bonesplitter Sliver, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Calciform Pools, Brine Elemental, Demonic Collusion, Angel’s Grace
Pick: Angel’s Grace
Pack 22:
Slipstream Serpent, Gaze of Justice, Fathom Seer, Flamecore Elemental, Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Harmonic Sliver, Durkwood Tracker
Pick: Skulking Knight
Pack 23:
Gorgon Recluse, Tolarian Sentinel, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Molten Slagheap, Krosan Grip
Pick: Gorgon Recluse
Pack 24:
Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis
Pick: Mindstab
Pack 25:
Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, Fungal Reaches, Feldon’s Cane
Pick: Fungal Reaches
Pack 26:
Cancel, Zealot il-Vec, Call to the Netherworld, Brass Gnat, Pendelhaven Elder
Pick: Zealot il-Vec
Pack 27:
Mogg War Marshal, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Aetherflame Wall
Pick: Mogg War Marshal
Pack 28:
Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Evil Eye of Urborg
Pick: Evil Eye of Urborg
Pack 29:
Pick: Ghitu Firebreathing
Pack 30:
Pick: Ground Rift
Pack 31:
Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Lightning Axe, Mogg War Marshal, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Might Sliver, Weatherseed Totem, Pull from Eternity, Sarpadian Empires, Vol. VII, Krosan Cloudscraper, Divine Congregation
Pick: Lightning Axe
Pack 32:
Feebleness, Castle Raptors, Chromatic Star, Flowstone Channeler, Sidewinder Sliver, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Pull from Eternity, Locket of Yesterdays, Phantom Wurm, Saffi Eriksdotter, Stupor
Pick: Feebleness
Pack 33:
Thallid Germinator, Terramorphic Expanse, Snapback, Pentarch Ward, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Fledgling Mawcor, Sporesower Thallid, Chronatog Totem, Trickbind
Pick: Terramorphic Expanse
Pack 34:
Orcish Cannonade, Gemhide Sliver, Watcher Sliver, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Smallpox, Return to Dust, Undying Rage, Magus of the Scroll, Suq’Ata Lancer
Pick: Magus of the Scroll
Pack 35:
Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Spirit Loop, Molten Slagheap, Sprite Noble
Pick: Orcish Cannonade
Pack 36:
Cancel, Pentarch Ward, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Urza’s Factory, Return to Dust, Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Sindbad
Pick: Urza’s Factory
Pack 37:
Deathspore Thallid, Flowstone Channeler, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Spirit Loop, Kher Keep, Darkness
Pick: Flowstone Channeler
Pack 38:
Think Twice, Penumbra Spider, Aether Web, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Greenseeker, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Stormcloud Djinn
Pick: Thick-Skinned Goblin
Pack 39:
Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Screeching Sliver, Ancient Grudge, Pull from Eternity, Krosan Cloudscraper, Divine Congregation
Pick: Ironclaw Buzzardiers
Pack 40:
Chromatic Star, Sidewinder Sliver, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Locket of Yesterdays
Pick: Chromatic Star
Pack 41:
Pentarch Ward, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller
Pick: Thallid Shell-Dweller
Pack 42:
Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Return to Dust
Pick: Skulking Knight
Pack 43:
Scarwood Treefolk, Wormwood Dryad, Spirit Loop
Pick: Wormwood Dryad
Pack 44:
Mindlash Sliver, Return to Dust
Pick: Mindlash Sliver
Pack 45:
Pick: Sangrophage
Final Decklist:
Maindeck:
1 Assassinate
1 Corpulent Corpse
1 Feebleness
1 Gorgon Recluse
1 Mana Skimmer
1 Mindstab
1 Nightshade Assassin
1 Strangling Soot
1 Urborg Syphon-Mage
1 Orgg
1 Suq’Ata Lancer
1 Blazing Blade Askari
1 Coal Stoker
1 Flowstone Channeler
1 Ironclaw Buzzardiers
2 Lightning Axe
1 Magus of the Scroll
2 Mogg War Marshal
1 Orcish Cannonade
1 Pardic Dragon
1 Thick-Skinned Goblin
8 Mountain
7 Swamp
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Urza’s Factory
Sideboard:
1 Angel’s Grace [FOIL]
1 Ashcoat Bear
1 Chromatic Star
1 Deep-Sea Kraken
1 Evil Eye of Urborg
1 Fungal Reaches
2 Ghitu Firebreathing
2 Ground Rift
1 Herd Gnarr
1 Mindlash Sliver
1 Sangrophage
2 Skulking Knight
1 Subterranean Shambler
1 Thallid Shell-Dweller
1 Viscid Lemures
1 Wormwood Dryad
1 Zealot il-Vec
I took Coal Stoker first here because it’s the best non-Green card in the pack. I’m not sure about the second pick. I haven’t played with the Kraken much and wanted to try him out. I think in a Pro Tour or Grand Prix I would have taken the Dark Withering. Of course I soon got settled into Black/Red, and really regretted passing the Withering. I got a nice surprise in the form of a fifth pick Lightning Axe, and a second pick Dragon, but for the most part there was nothing out of the ordinary about this draft.
I won the first round against a solid three-color deck, that always suspended Greater Gargadon by turn 2. In game 1 I didn’t play any Mountains, but in the second and third games the Mogg War Marshals did an excellent job of holding off his dorks, and later his Gargadon while I raced him with Ironclaw Buzzardiers and Urborg-Syphon Mage in game 2, and Pardic Dragon in game 3.
In the second round I got flooded twice against a four-color deck that drew its mana quite well. In the first game he had a timely Stonewood Invocation to counter my Lightning Axe and hit me for eight. I lost the second game when he played Verdant Embrace on his Lightning Angel, and I had merely lands in hand.
Until tomorrow,
Rich
Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!